Isleta Amphitheater to be renamed

New Mexico’s largest concert venue, which has hosted countless star-studded performers, is being renamed, the venue’s operator announced Wednesday.

The Isleta Amphitheater will be renamed the First Financial Credit Union Amphitheater after the credit union brokered a deal with the venue’s operator, Live Nation.

“We’re gonna see our members out there and who has a bad time at a concert?” said Chris Samborski, the chief lending officer with FFCU, about the deal.

For more than a decade, Isleta Pueblo owned the venue’s naming rights. 

Moreover, there are few details on the deal that brought the rebrand.

Neither the credit union nor Live Nation would disclose how much the naming rights cost. 

While Samborski couldn't disclose the terms of the deal, he said members will see no impact on their loan rates and that the purchase was “well within” the credit union’s marketing budget.

The deal, and lengthier name, is a push to keep the credit union top of mind for residents, said Samborski, even during a fun night out.

Samborski hopes to reach young people who might not think twice about where they keep their money and prompt them to consider joining a local not-for-profit credit union instead of a for-profit bank.

“We are New Mexico,” Samborski said. “We're local. We're here. When somebody deposits money here, it gets lent out here.”

This local focus prompted the partnership between the national operator and the credit union, said Live Nation vice president Rob Scolaro in a statement to the Journal.

“Music brings people together across all backgrounds and generations and First Financial Credit Union understands its role in strengthening the community,” Scolaro said. “With their continued growth and commitment to their members across the Albuquerque region, this partnership felt like a natural fit.”

Additionally, those already enrolled with FFCU will get quicker entry to shows with a new “fast pass” system and be entered into ticket giveaways, Samborski said.

Nonmembers will also see other new perks, such as sweepstakes and a “social-first photo experience,” said Scolaro. 

“This is a continuation of how we think about our amphitheaters,” Scolaro said. “For fans, these venues are deeply personal. They’re often seen as their hometown amphitheater, and they return every summer.”

Since opening its doors in 2000, the venue has hosted major artists such as Paul McCartney and Wiz Khalifa, and its 2026 summer lineup includes Peso Pluma, Luke Bryan and Mötley Crüe.

In its 26-year run, the venue has gone by various names.

The venue first opened as the Mesa del Sol Amphitheater. Shortly after the Albuquerque Journal bought the venue’s naming rights, renaming it the Albuquerque Journal Pavilion.

Since then, the venue has also been known as The Pavilion and, most recently, Isleta Amphitheater.

“First Financial Credit Union has been part of New Mexico communities for more than 90 years, and this partnership brings that presence into a place where people already come together,” Scolaro said. “Live events are a shared part of community life, and this reflects a local institution showing up in a setting that matters to people.”

The new name, signage and fan benefits will roll out by the venue's first concert of the year, featuring Mexican rapper Peso Pluma on March 24, Scolaro said. 

Gillian Barkhurst is the local government reporter for the Journal. She can be reached at gbarkhurst@abqjournal.com.

Elizabeth Secor is an arts fellow from the New Mexico Local News Fellowship program. You can reach her at esecor@abqjournal.com.